flickr - sean drellingerIn HR Technology projects we often discuss increasing managers and employees direct access to workforce data, enabling more self-directed activity in what were previously HR executed administrative transactions, and empowering the workforce with tools and skills to connect, communicate, collaborate, etc.
But even after a decade (or more) of process automation, deployment of online processes for demographics, benefits, payroll, and otherwise pushing control and responsibility out to the distributed workforce, it doesn't seem like the number of requests for basic assistance have diminished all that much. Perhaps it is just a function of my personal experience lately, who knows, but even after the de-centralization of so much of the mundane processes, the calls, emails, basic inquiries continue to roll in, day after day.
Beyond technology enabled process automation, I think if you really want to empower employees and managers, and drive more self-sufficiency in the organization, a few other basic philosophical approaches have to be in place.
1. Make less rules.
Every rule, policy, guideline adds to the canon and creates additional opportunity for questions and interpretations that require HR to have to get involved. When making a decision, managers and employees should really only have to consider 'Is this the right thing to do (for the business/community/customer). Once the 'policy' is in place, then you have effectively doubled the scope of the problem by making people consider, or setting yourself up to address, the question of - 'What does the policy say?'. And good luck to you when the answers to the now two questions are clearly at odds.
2. Make it easy for employees to connect
In my HR Technology class we use a class wiki and discussion forums to communicate and collaborate. When students have questions about class content, assignments, logistics, etc. they are strongly encouraged to post them on the wiki, or in a specific discussion forum. Ninety percent of the time another member of the class can and does provide the answer, or a discussion ensues that will ultimately lead to a satisfactory conclusion. As the instructor, I get involved maybe 25% of the time. The students are invested in helping each other to a degree that even surprises me at times.
How easy do you make it for your employees to help each other in discovering, developing, or creating appropriate or innovative solutions to the questions that are frequently asked of HR? If the only 'official' conduit to information is via HR, then you are forcing every question (at least the non-obvious ones), through a narrow funnel that empties out all over your policy manual. Employees will help each other if you give them the chance.
3. Make the answers visible
In the example above, unless the matter in question is of a personal issue involving grades, or some other 'private' information, when I have to get involved in a student discussion or issue on the wiki or in a forum, I make sure my 'answer' is posted publicly as well. That way all students, whether they were involved in the original debate or not, have the opportunity to learn from the resolution, or gain exposure to a new idea or approach. Answering individual questions, one at a time, privately, ensures a steady supply of similar questions. Sure, you could send out some kind of 'official' HR communication to address a recurring issue, (and we all know how well those are received), or you could support and actively participate in a more interactive, lively, and manager and employee focused forum to make sure your answers get as widely socialized as possible.
Think about it this way - how often in HR do you find yourself saying 'Man, I am so sick of answering that question.'